"I have a family to support, and why not have a discussion about continuing?" he said. "The question is will I do a full season, a half season or come back at all?"

Meanwhile, Pompeo said she'd "never turn up my nose at 'Grey's.'"

"If I hear from the fans that they want us to keep going, then I would continue because we owe them everything," Pompeo told TV Guide in October.

Rhimes said she has a plan in place for the finale that will work regardless of who signs on for Season 9. "Our goal is to have Derek and Meredith move in to the completed dream house," she told TV Guide. "And our residents will be interviewing for jobs all around the country."

"I just want to know what happened to her and where she went and what she's doing now," Heigl told E! Online. The "One For the Money" actress said she's even reached out to the show. "I've told them I want to," she said.

As for Rhimes, the creator said it was nice to hear Heigl show some appreciation for the show, but "Grey's" is on a long-planned path and "the idea of changing that track is not something we are interested in right now."

For more "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" details from Shonda Rhimes, click over to TV Guide.